Nineteen Years Later
by Shadowhunter-in-Exile
Summary: Valerie had a boring life as an orphan until she came to Hogwarts. Now, she's starting her fourth year. Everything seems great until rumors start arising about a plot to bring You-Know-Who back from the dead. Even worse, she and her sister are suspects.
1. A New Year

**Author's Note: Please keep reading. I know it's a bit boring in the beginning, but I had to introduce everybody somehow. The story will take off once they're at Hogwarts. Also, this (obviously) takes place during and after the epilouge of the last book and therefore follows James, Albus, and so on. **

**Disclaimer: I only own Valerie, Danny, Melanie, and Annabella. James, Albus, Rose, and the world of Harry Potter all belong to J.K. Rowling.**

Valerie was lying in her bed, staring at the glowing stars on the ceiling. It hadn't been her choice, but when you're sharing a room four other kids under the age of eight, you really don't have a choice in anything. She hated life at the orphanage. She and her older sister, Annabella, had been living there since Valerie was six. Her parents had been criminals, she was told. She'd asked Annabella about what they were like, but Annabella never budged. She refused to talk about them. She looked to her right where a small girl no older than six lay, off in a dream world much greater than this boring, muggle world.

She couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts, the wizardry school she'd gone to for the last three years. She remembered how she laughed when Annabella had gotten her letter four years ago, thinking it was a joke pulled by one of the orphans. She remembered the woman in the long green cloak that appeared at the orphanage, requesting to see Annabella; the look of awe that dawned on her face when the woman turned her hat into small kitten. After that, she eagerly awaited a letter of her own so she could go off in to the world of magic her sister bragged about when she returned. Sure enough, that summer she received the same letter her sister had gotten. Of course, the other children weren't told about this. They were simply told that we had been shipped off to boarding school during the school year. It wasn't this that made her mad. It was the rumors that began on why she and her sister were being "shipped off". Most centered on her being a criminal like her parents. She ignored it, though. She just wanted to get back to her school, her friends, and her life.

* * *

"Come on, Anna!" Valerie yelled out. "We're gonna miss the train!" She lugged her trunk through the crowd at Platform 9 ¾ with her cat's cage nervously rattling on the top.

"Slow down! The train doesn't leave for another five minutes." Anna said, trailing her sister by several feet. She didn't seem excited, but on the inside, she was bursting at the seams. This was going to be her fifth year, the year she took her O.W.L.'s. She was sure she'd ace them. She always did great when it came to school. She wasn't one for studying, though. She was just the only one who really payed attention in class. Most of her fellow classmates usually goofed off. She felt this year would be different, though, what with the O.W.L.'s.

Valerie arrived at the door of the train, luggage in hand. She went to drop off her baggage and put on her robes, then hurried down the aisle searching for James, Danny, and Melanie. She found James sitting with a small boy who looked a bit like James except his eyes were green. There was also a little girl with red hair and a timid smile.

"Hey! Over here!" James yelled, patting the spot next to him. She dropped next to him, ready to leave the muggle life behind once again. "So, this is Rose," He motioned toward the red headed girl "And this is Albus." He pointed at the boy who was obviously his brother.  
"So this is the famous Albus? Well, good to meet you. I'm Valerie. And good to meet you too, Rose." She held her hand out to Rose, which Rose took shyly. She turned to shake Albus's hand, but he gasped and moved back a bit.

"You… You're a Slytherin." He said, spotting her necklace. She wondered why he acted so afraid. He must have heard the rumors, she thought.

"Albus! What's your problem?" James asked Albus, irritated. James had been sorted into Gryffindor the first year; so many people were surprised to see that he had befriended a Slytherin.

"It's fine, really. He has a right to be afraid. We Slytherins are bad." She joked just as Danny and Melanie walked in, side by side. Danny and Melanie were fraternal twins, Danny being one minute older. They both had wavy, dirty blonde hair. Danny had brown eyes while Melanie, however, had blue eyes. The twins were both Ravenclaws, so of course, they were super smart. Valerie wasn't the 'smart type'. She liked playing pranks and joking around, and her grades showed it.

"Oh, yes," Danny said, "They are terrifying. Who knows what kind of evil plans are under that curly mop." He twirled one of her curls on his wand as he sat down. She pushed him away playfully. Melanie sat right next to him, her nose in a book about as thick as a brick.

"So, Slytherin's are okay?" Albus asked everyone, but mostly James. He seemed nervous, but at the same time, he seemed relieved that the mood had lightened. "I've heard they were bad kids, you know. Bullies."

"Only to first years like you…" Valerie said in a wicked-witch-of-the-west voice.

"She's joking," James said. "Only some are like that. Valerie's cool." He smiled at Valerie.

"Oh, sorry." Albus said, embarrassed. She had a feeling he still didn't feel comfortable with her being a Slytherin.

"You're okay. So what house do you think you'll be in?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Oh, Gryffindor, for sure." He said, his face suddenly lighting up. "I can't wait to see the common room. I hear it's magnificent!"

"Listen to you, already using big words." James patted Albus on the back mockingly. Albus scooted away and started a conversation with Rose.

"So, Melanie, do you plan on talking to the people you haven't seen in two months, or are you just going to sit there and read?" James asked Melanie, who was so drawn into her book that she didn't even look up. Valerie thought about hitting it out of hands. She'd always wanted to do that for some reason. She decided against it.

"Mm hmm." Melanie muttered. She was always so drawn into her books that she barely ever had time for actual people. Valerie wondered how they'd ever even become friends in the first place. She didn't regret it, though. When she wasn't reading, Melanie often helped Valerie pass her classes. Danny, however, was more of "doer". He liked to build things. He usually hung out his friend, Charles Finnigan. Together, they built the most amazing muggle things Valerie'd ever seen. One time, he'd even made a little robot that had a small camera on it. Valerie didn't even know he knew what a camera was, seeing as he and Melanie were raised in the wizarding world.

"Well, how was your summer, Danny?" Valerie asked.

"It was okay. My mum acted a bit weird, though. Dad, too. They seemed kinda anxious." Danny said, worrying for a moment, then brushing it off.

"Maybe they're worried that they've raised total geeks." James said. Valerie chuckled at that and received a dirty look from Danny.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with that. If it weren't for me and Melanie, you guys would still be third years." Danny said trying to keep a straight face and eventually failing. Valerie laughed again which ended in a yawn.

"I'm so tired. I couldn't sleep, I was so excited." She yawned again. "I think I'm gonna take a nap. Don't you dare try anything."

"Aw,and I had a really good idea!" James sighed. Valerie used her knapsack as a pillow and drifted off.

* * *

"Val! Wake up! We're here!" Valerie opened her eyes to see the giant castle getting larger through the window. She grabbed her bag and readied herself. The train doors opened and she was basically pushed out by the huge crowd coming off of the bus. She searched for her friends who ended up finding her instead. She got in the carriage that pulled itself, a mystery she still hadn't figured out, and on they went.

**So, tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is gladly accepted!**


	2. The Stubborn Hat

**Hey again! This chapter is bit less boring now that most of the introductions are over. Enjoy! Again, I don't own J.K. Rowling's work.**

"I can already smell the feast!"James said longingly. He stuck his nose in the air and started sniffing around like a dog. He sighed. "Mum can cook, but there's nothing like a house elf cooked meal."

"I second that. The orphanage cooks are horrible." Valerie replied. She too longed for the Hogwarts feast. It was always amazing. They arrived at the doors of the Great Hall. James got off first, followed by Albus, Rose, Valerie, Danny, and finally Melanie.

The Great Hall was decorated with the banners of the four houses. James went to the Gryffindor table. Danny and Melanie went to the Ravenclaw table, sitting on either side of Charles. Valerie went to go sit with her fellow Slytherins, leaving Albus and Rose to sit with the other first years. She spoke with a few of her housemates, but she didn't really have any Slytherin friends. Her friends had always wondered why she was in Slytherin. Valerie wondered sometimes too. She was brave; she was confident. She wasn't sly and clever. She thought she should've been in Gryffindor, like James and Annabella. She looked around for her sister. She was just now taking her place at the Gryffindor table across from James. Annabella seemed like Ravenclaw material from first sight, but she had shown she was a Gryffindor when Valerie was twelve. She had gotten in a fight with big Slytherin and was getting creamed. Annabella stepped in the middle of the fight and knocked the girl out with one punch. Annabella may have seemed like a goody two-shoes nerd, but she was a true Gryffindor. Valerie sometimes wished she were Annabella.

It wasn't long before they started announcing names for sorting. She watched, not really paying attention. She looked for Albus in the group of first years. He looked extremely excited, as if he already knew his fate. Rose, on the other hand, looked quite scared. Valerie had a feeling she would be in Hufflepuff.

"Potter, Albus." McGonagall announced. He hurried up to stool. He sat down and the hat was lowered on his head. He sat there, looking up at the hat. He looked like he was whispering to the hat.

"Hmmm," said the Sorting Hat, "I say… SLYTHERIN!"

The rest of the Slytherin table roared in applause. Everyone knew the Potter name, so every house thought it would be awesome if they got a Potter. Valerie didn't applaud. She looked up at Albus. He looked like he was on the verge of crying. She looked over at James to see him looking at her. The look on his face told her that he was thinking the same thing he was thinking. Albus stepped down and walked, shoulders slumped, to the Slytherin table. He looked around, trying to find a seat. Valerie waved at him, making a place for him. He looked a bit better, but still distressed and sad. He sat down solemnly. McGonagall continued to call out names, but Valerie didn't pay attention.

"You okay?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"Yeah, I'll be okay. I really wanted to be in Gryffindor. It's not fair! Daddy said I could choose my house. I kept telling the hat Gryffindor, but it wouldn't listen!" He said. A tear escaped his eye. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She'd felt the same way when she was first put in Slytherin.

"Well, sometimes the hat can be hard headed. Or I guess hard hatted." She joked. He chuckled a little bit. She patted his back. "Don't worry, Albus. You'll be fine. At least you know someone. When I first got put into Slytherin, I was all alone."

"Thanks, Valerie. You're not bad like people say Slytherins are."

"And neither are you. See, Slytherin can't be that bad. You and I are in it." She said. He laughed. "Look, there's Rose." He looked up with her to see Rose sitting very lightly on the stool. The hat swallowed her small head; curly, orange locks escaping from underneath it.

"I say… RAVENCLAW!"

Valerie wasn't surprised. Though she thought Rose would be in Hufflepuff, she remembered how silent and shy Melanie was when she first met her. Inside that barrier, Rose was probably brilliant. Albus smiled, happy to see his cousin in Ravenclaw. He probably knew how smart she was.

"West, Timothy." McGonagall announced. They continued until the last name was called. Then she began her speech.

"To all of our new students, welcome. To all of our returning students, welcome back. For the past hundred years, Hogwarts…" Valerie zoned out. It was the same speech every year. After the first year, there was no need to pay attention anymore. She looked around for something interesting. She saw Danny stacking his silverware together trying to make a tower. She saw Melanie, watching Charles do the same thing with a different design. Valerie had a feeling they were having another one of their competitions. She saw Annabella listening as always. Last, she saw James. He was fiddling with a string on his robe. His brown hair hung in his face, hiding his eyes.

"And now, let the feast begin!" McGonagall finished. Food appeared on the plates and a fragrant aroma filled the air. She grabbed her fork and dug in. Warmth filled her mouth. She loved the food here. She was probably one of the only people, aside from Annabella, at the orphanage that could say she enjoyed school food.

Once she finished, a few people had already started leaving the Great Hall. Albus was still eating when Violet Richardson, a Slytherin prefect, called for the first years. He looked to Valerie before leaving, his face a mask of nervousness and anticipation. She waved goodbye as he walked out, then left for the common room.

James was sitting outside the doors twisting his wand in his hand. He straightened up as Valerie walked by, running to catch up with her.

"Well, that was unexpected." He said right off the bat. Although James teased his brother, she could tell that he was a bit worried about him being in Slytherin. Even after defending Valerie and Slytherin, James still had presumptions about Slytherin and Valerie knew it.

"Yes, but he'll do fine. I wouldn't worry. I didn't turn out so bad." She replied.

"I beg to differ." James said, chuckling at his own joke. She punched him in the arm, also laughing. "Hey, I'm not the one who charmed Professor Longbottom's chair to move every time he tried to sit."

"Yes, but you were an accomplice and therefore are partially responsible." Valerie said in a matter-of-fact tone. James smiled guiltily. His teeth were perfect, Valerie noticed randomly.

"So, where you going?" James asked after a minute.

"Common room. Why?" Valerie replied.

"Just wondering. Danny and I were thinking about setting off some "Weasly Wizard Wheezes" firecrackers off in the library. You sure you don't wanna come?"

"Erm… yeah. I think I'll head to the common room. I can't afford a detention on the first day back. Annabella would kill me."

"Okay, but you're missing out." He said, running towards the library, where Danny was sitting looking over the WWW package. Valerie went down stairs to the Slytherin common room. When she came up to the wall, she tried to remember the password.

"Is it… Oddsbodikins?" The wall didn't budge. "Quid Agis?" Nothing. She dropped her bag, knowing this would take a while. She continued going through the passwords she could think of until she ran out of words. "Erm… is it-"

"Caput Draconis." A voice from behind her said. The wall opened slowly but surely. She turned to see who it was. It was boy, a fourth year, with black hair and brown eyes so dark you had to strain to see the pupil.

"Erm, thanks." Valerie said awkwardly. She picked up her bag. "How come I've never seen you around here before?"

"Are you asking me if I come here often?" He said, a lazy smirk on his face. _Of course_, she thought_, another stereotypical Slytherin guy; a cocky know-it-all._ She rolled her eyes and walked into the common room. "Wait!" He said, catching up to her. "Sorry, lame joke. My name is Adrian Reynolds. I'm new here. I'm sort of an exchange student." He said in an earnest tone. She looked over at him and studied his face. She could tell he was being honest. He put out his hand.

"Valerie Reid." She shook his hand. She was still a bit suspicious of "Mr. Nice Guy" because every Slytherin guy she met had been a total jerk. It was people like them that gave Slytherin a bad name.

"Well, it's was a pleasure to meet you." He let go of her hand and walked over to the couch and put down his bag. "Just came to drop that off." He walked to the door and turned around. "I guess I'll see you around, Valerie Reid." And he was gone.

Valerie was left there a bit confused. A new guy in Slytherin who _isn't_ a total jerk? She liked that thought. _I guess I will see you around_, she thought. She headed to the girls dormitories, taking one last look around the common room. _What a great first day back…_

**Criticism is gladly accepted! More to come soon!**_  
_


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